1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for preparing a fluid for a medical procedure, an opener for unsealing a vessel containing a medicament, and a cutter for the opener.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an apparatus for preparing a fluid for a medical procedure, such as dialysis treatment, has been proposed. The fluids for dialysis treatment includes an acetic acid aqueous solution, which is prepared by diluting an acetic acid stock solution with water, in particular reverse osmosis water (referred to RO water in this specification), and a sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution, which is prepared by dissolving sodium bicarbonate powder in RO water.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-168678 (JPP '678) describes an apparatus for preparing sodium bicarbona aqueous solution. The apparatus holds an inverted vessel for containing a solid medicament, sodium bicarbona, in the form of a powder or granules, after the vessel is unsealed, so that the contents fall by gravity into a tank which contains water. The tank includes an agitator for promoting the mixing of the medicament with the water. The apparatus of JPP '678 has a problem that the sodium bicarbona, which has been fallen into the tank, cannot be solved quickly in the water within the tank since the dissolid medicament deposits on the bottom of the tank.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-84967 (JPP '967) also describes an apparatus for preparing sodium bicarbona aqueous solution. The apparatus is configured to dissolve and wash out sodium bicarbonate contained within a vessel by spraying water into the inverted vessel after the vessel is unsealed. However, with the apparatus of JPP '967, dissolving the solid content within the vessel cannot be sufficiently carried out due the small volume available for the dissolving process so that the substantial portion of the sodium bicarbona is wash out of the vessel without dissolving into the water sprayed into the vessel.